OOC: I just got fake nails and my laptop doesn't agree with them, I will edit my errors, but some may slip through the cracks lol

Waspish. Two blue eyes watched a rather large wasp lazily swing around a branch of a tree used as a shade by one little whipcord mare. She decided that she was waspish, just like the one she watched. Lazy and ready to sting. The sun was out and it felt unnaturally hot to her today considering the season. So while the tree couldn't be much shade with the leaves gone, she still moved under it to block out the most of the rays.

Perhaps, she considered, the wasp was a figment of her imagination. It was winter, after all. Well, he did look more lethargic than lazy- gone. She looked around and could no longer see or hear him. Sight wasn't too useful to her with only one eye, though. While healed, she was reminded every day of her injuries she sustained, and the loss of more than just half her sight. She left her vision and a good friend behind, and never looked back.

Snorting, she swung her head around to peer about. Just because she lost half her vision, did not mean her other eye was useless. She could see decently a ways off. Still, she tried using her other senses. She had heard once losing one sense could sharpen another. She hadn't found this helpful; smelling, hearing, feeling, tasting all stayed about the same. A small voice whispered that she wasn't trying hard enough, but she had! She tried hard every day!

She settled herself, closed her eyes and resolved to listen. Like always. Perhaps today she would be successful in at least one of her endeavors.

There was only so much a girl could do to entertain herself in a land by herself, and Pax felt like she'd spent the appropriate amount of time soaking up the 'feeling' of Serpent's Province. Putting all the mumbo-jumbo of it being her ancestral home and legacy aside, the glacial forest was growing on her quickly. The land was intimidating at first glance, dense with forestry and thick vines that crawled across her skin, and so dark it always hurt her eyes the first time she emerged from it's grasp. But Serpent's Province had a hidden beauty that wasn't splashed across the travel ads - it lingered in the delicate frost patterns on the tree leaves in the mornings and the way sun cast dappled shadows on the mossy forest floor.

Barely a month into calling the Province her own and already her blood raced to the current of the stream that rushed through her home. And Pax couldn't wait to share it with someone else.

It felt strange to set hoof inside the Homeless grounds again. The last time she'd been here it had been with every intention of settling down to live a normal herd life, but that had grown tiresome. Pax was not a mare built to acquiesce to the beck and call of a stallion, nor was she particularly interested in bearing another child. The loss of her daughter had soured her, but time had tempered that bitterness.

Against the pale-ness of a land in Winter, the stark black of the mare's coat immediately caught Pax's eye. She was a solidly built girl, and when she turned her head in Pax's direction, she could see some sort of scarring over the mare's face. It didn't lessen her beauty, but it did lend her a fierceness that her build alone might not have conveyed. Intrigued, the cob trotted over, neck naturally slightly bowed. As Pax settled in speaking distance, a light grin stole over her lips.

"I'm torn - should we start with the weather, our names, or me asking if you come here often?"

A glimmer of laughter sparkled in the mare's eyes as she made herself comfortable, wanting to break into conversation but lacking any sort of experience in doing so in this situation. She barely remembered what her previous claimant had said - although knowing him, it was probably some lame pickup line about how the sun made her eyes sparkle.

Cold swirled around her hocks, and a chill seemed to seep in around her. The breeze tickled her flanks, playfully nipped her lovely tail and even encouraged a response from her haphazard mane. She had no doubt it stuck in all different directions now, but it wasn't as if the breeze cared. It was as close as a lover's caress as she was like to get. This whole situation seemed dismal, the lands empty. She peered around, giving up on practicing her other senses. It had grown tiresome, anyway, and hearing a wasp when one shouldn't be around this time of year hadn't helped. In fact, she was pretty sure she had imagined the whole thing.

Her ears twitched and she jerked her head around. A thickly made stall- no. That wasn't right. There was a mare approaching her. Her well muscled body had at first seemed masculine, and while this mare was certainly well made, she was strikingly feminine. Pan was immediately envious, though not in a hateful way. She looked up in awe, she was well built and striking to look at. Her words brought a cautious smile to her face. She hadn't expected to be approached by a stallion in this dismal territory, she was certainly not expecting to be approached by another female. By her looks, she wouldn't have to wait long before they all came flocking. Her thoughts entertained the rabble that this other mare could cause.

Pan lifted her head in a dainty nod of greeting before her lilting voice floated across the space between them. Actually you stunned me into silence. I did not think there would be another mare that would be as striking as me. I must accept my losses now for surely I cannot compete with... She eyed her playfully and let out a soft snort. Maybe whoever finds us will at least take pity on me and let me tag along! Pan didn't quite understand Kormadian rules as yet. She decided to move out from under the tree. It was blocking the weak rays as it cooled, and the branches, though little shade they had, were enough for her to want the direct rays of Prime above. Having so much black, she was always getting hot, so usually suffered from too much heat. Now she appreciated being in full, if weak, force of the blazing fire in the skies.

She stretched her legs and turned to the mare again. She didn't seem to stare at her scarring across her face. She cocked her head and decided she liked this exotic mare. The more she looked, the more she seemed to see something different. And she didn't stare at her. She was funny, and certainly not boring. Yes, she liked her. Which said a lot for Pan, who was tired of equines and non equines alike. I will be cliche for one moment to let you know my name is Pan. She gave a small smile, as if sharing a small jest with the other mare. Just don't hold it against me, I couldn't stand the disappointment. She settled and switched her tail out of mere habit as opposed to chasing away flies. Despite winter being bleak and sapping her general will to live, it kept the pesky insects at bay. Pan would rather be complaining about the heat, as she was so fond of doing in her desert homeland. Remembering the place brought a small flicker of anxiety through her, but she shook it off. Damn winter blues, anyway.

Pax's ears had pricked in the mare's direction and remained calmly so, even as the daintily spotted mare cocked a hip and started to relax. Or rather, focused on appearing to relax. Inside, she was on edge, attempting to navigate very unfamiliar territory for her. It obviously wasn't her first time being around a mare - she'd grown up in a group of strong, independent mares who didn't need no stallions - but it was her first time being around a mare with the prospect of asking her to come home. Which in all reality, the rational side of Pax's mind reasoned, was not all that different from just talking to a new mare.

Somehow though, it was. It really was. To her relief, the black speckled mare was friendly, graciously complimenting Pax and downplaying herself. This brought a fleeting frown to Pax's lips. She hated it when girls did this to themselves. How in the world did so many pretty creatures get the notion into their heads that they weren't beautiful? And how did it become so widespread as to become normal. Pax's dam, her granddam, her aunt Heidi, her great aunt Paisley, all of them had told her she was beautiful from the moment her little legs had toddled across Kormada. Pax knew she fell short from the standards of other mares in her lineage if one was to compare side by side - no one after all, would paint her with the same brush they did Amalthea - but she had no doubts about herself.

At the mare's mention of another approaching, a hearty chuckle rumbled out. If Pax had anything to say about it, no one else would need to approach. And to be quite frank, since everything with Kestrel had happened, it felt as though Kormada was quiet. All the creatures were still in hiding, giving the early birds a chance to make their own lasting impressions on the land.

"I wouldn't dream of hold that against you,"

Pax offered with a chuckle. It was a light innuendo, as light as she could make it to try and get some inkling about the mare's preferences. Pax didn't much care what Pan's liked. The nice thing about being a herd led by a mare, is that she didn't give a rat's bottom if you preferred ladies or gentlemen. It was not treasonous to go out and have a little fun, as long as your loyalty stayed with your herd you could take your pleasure where you please as far as Pax was concerned. She was just curious. Playfully, Pax dropped her voice to a stage whisper and leaned in slightly, taking light-hearted advantage.

"To be totally honest, I'm hiding from the boys." She offered a quick wink before elaborating. "They don't like it when mare's lead herds these days. They don't like the freedom and power it gives us."

The bay wasn't entirely sure if her companion knew about how the rules had all been broken as part of the Kestrel fiasco, allowing mares to take their fair share of the power and to begin to lead their own herds. Pax had a sneaking suspicion that an influx of herds led by mares would either result in a land of compassion and tolerance and peace, or a bloody catfight, but she kept these suspicions to herself.

"Have you ever thought of going home with a mare?"

She offered up, belatedly realizing she hadn't really given the mare anything to respond to. A cheeky grin crept back to her lips and she tilted her head slightly, adding a playful inquisitiveness.

While the other mare appeared to be at ease, Pan could at least tell there was something a little amiss. In the last pairing she was in, she grew used to picking out his emotions because of his predictable mood swings. Some of which had violence turned on her, therefore causing her to loe her foal. Yes, she was nearly adept at picking emotions. Though now as she viewed Pax, fear wasn't the forefront of her emotions. It was a relaxed, peaceful curiosity piqued by the feeling that she was not here to find a male. She seemed too much....in charge. And this was not the type of leadership portrayed by a mere lead mare. This seemed more absolute. Pan wasn't used to it and therefore not sure how to read the situation. But she was at ease, oddly enough.

Her frown was picked apart; Pan was more intent on making Pax feel better at ease being here, therefore the reason for the downplay on herself. While she had been abused, she wasn't blind to her own beauty. However, now that Pan was slowly piecing together that Pax wasn't here for a male, she felt foolish indeed. Luckily her heated face and slight embarrassment over her lack of prior understanding was not able to be seen on her open and welcoming features. Certainly, Pax had the potential to be envied hatefully by lesser mares,but Pan appreciated all shapes, sizes and colors. Her own envy was light hearted; she had her own beauty and was proud of herself. They were taught as such, taking pride in oneself always.

Pan's embarassment increased at the rumbling from the other mare- damn if she hadn't been a silly female! She stared at the other mare as realization settled in a dreamy cloud around her. You mean to say, I won't have to give myself to another brute? Why, I am thrilled. You may hold what you wish against me if I do not have to be burdened by the domineering male species! She wasn't sure what kind of paradise this world she walked into, but it was certainly an improvement. Females as true leaders! She shook her head as if to wake up. She looked up and frowned- she knew what would have been expected of her and that was fine as long as the brute wasn't abusive, but what were her duties? Heat crept up her neck again. I don't wish to be...rude. But if this is truly some form of paradise, what type of duties would mares have under another mare? She was trying to fight back the hope in her heart. Pax probably thought the black daft, but Pan wasn't of mind to care, only worry about what she would be doing.

Her stage whisper brought a bubble of mirth in the form of a throaty chuckle floating to melt in with the mists of breath. Surely we will either be lead to long peace or a hell of a war. She spoke truthfully. Depending on the leadership of the herds, and mares becoming more than a secondary leadership figure, it could go either way. Pan would rather like to see how....it panned out! The last sentence had Pan tilting her head playfully. I only learned of mares leading herds today, but I would rather like the idea. It would seem a lot less demanding than being with...a stallion. What she didn't say is her child lost because of a certain demanding brute, the same who impregnated her. It was a terrible thing so grow attached to a little being within your own womb, for it to be snatched away just like that. Pax presented no such cruelty thus far.